2006 Honda Ridgeline Wins Motor Trend Truck of the Year AwardThis Marks First Time a Manufacturer Wins 'Car' and 'Truck' of the Year Honors in Same Year

TORRANCE, Calif, U.S.A., December 20, 2005 --- The 2006 Honda Ridgeline earned Motor Trend magazine's prestigious 2006 "Truck of the Year" award, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced. The Ridgeline joins the all-new 2006 Honda Civic as this year's recipient of Motor Trend's "Car of the year" award, marking the first time ever that a manufacturer has won both honors in the same year.

2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL

Since its introduction in March of 2005, the Ridgeline has re-defined the mid-size truck segment through its innovative and exclusive new features. Designed to meet the needs of a growing population of consumers purchasing trucks to support their active, outdoor-oriented lifestyles, the Ridgeline delivers a proportional mix of overall truck capability, towing performance, ruggedness and value in a fun-to-drive vehicle built around Honda's standards for reliability, safety and performance. The Ridgeline was the first-ever 4-door pickup to receive the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-star safety rating, the highest safety rating possible, for both frontal and side impact crash test performance. It also had the distinction of achieving the best rollover resistance rating of any pickup ever tested by NHTSA. All Ridgeline models are equipped with a long list of standard comfort and convenience features, including the most comprehensive list of standard safety equipment in its class.

"This certainly validates Honda's unique approach to the truck segment," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Winning Truck of the Year with our first attempt is truly remarkable, and we couldn't be more pleased"